A Rose for Marinette
by kodencegray
Summary: In which Adrien presents Marinette with a rose and struggles to admit his true feelings for her.
1. Chapter 1: A Rose for Marinette

**I pretty much said 'screw it' and wrote this at one in the morning :P**

* * *

The model went above and beyond to dress nicely for his lady as well, clothed in his finest attire. Adrien didn't care if his father got upset at him for wearing one of his black suits without permission. Today was Adrien's day to tell the blue-haired girl his deepest feelings and nobody, not even his father, could take that from him.

He he fumbled with the rose he grasped between his fingertips. It was the perfect flower for Marinette, too. The petals faded from a blush pink to a blood red, just like her. Who knew that there could be such a rose that fit his lady and his princess. Adrien cracked a small smile at his lips knowing that Marinette wouldn't be happy wit's the knowledge that he found out about her secret identity. He desperately wished he could tell her he'd been her kitty this whole time as well. Now was his chance to because today was the day.

Adrien sucked in a deep breath as he shakily made his way way to her. The blond had hoped to see her smiling that bright smile that could light up a city, no, a country...heck, the whole world. Marinette would have been smiling if she saw him heading towards her. Alya, dressed in a black and dark purple, strapless dress, had perfect timing to leave Marinette's side and join Nino on the other half of the room. _Perfect_ , he thought, _I can talk to her alone._

The blond's breath hitched when he finally was close enough to look her over completely. His princess, his lady, looked stunning in her red dress. It had black spots scattered along the skirt while the bodice remained plain with a sweetheart neckline and capped sleeves. Her dark-as-night locks were fashioned in soft curls that barely brushed her shoulders and her bangs were had a slight wave to them as they fell on her forehead and rested just above her eyes.

Marinette's lips looked so kissable and all he wanted to do was embrace the bluenette in loving passion and kiss her tenderly. But what kind of gentleman would Adrien be if he did that? He knew wouldn't get any warm and fuzzy feeling from doing so; definitely no little feelings from kissing her by surprise would compare to the overall feelings he held in his heart for her.

Adrien forced himself to smile as he gazed down at the blue-haired girl. She looked so calm and peaceful, something completely different as opposed to when she would get all frantic when talking to him as Adrien, or full of sass when he was Cat Noir. No, this version of Marinette acting at peace with the world was something entirely new to him. It's not that the blond didn't find it an attractive quality about his princess, it was just something different. Marinette was still so beautiful.

He longed to see her bluebell eyes flutter up at him; those same bluebell eyes he'd always been so enamored with and how they would flicker with wonder and unconditional love. Marinette's eyes refused to meet Adrien's, though, but he wasn't entirely disappointed because he knew how she could get embarrassed easily as well as flustered in front of him. It was something he had always loved about the bluenette.

Adrien swallowed hard before running a hand through his golden locks, thinking of what he could say to her and how he would say it. The blond twiddled the rose between his thumb and forefinger as he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Without thinking, Adrien bent down and hovered the pink and red rose above her chest before he guided her dainty, porcelain hands to grasp ahold of the flower. Marinette's hands were a bit cold, but it was chilly in the room anyway...heck, he was cold to the bone as well. In fact, probably everyone in the room was cold to an extent.

Adrien dared to brush her blue bangs out of her face and planted a soft kiss on her pearlescent forehead. His confidence wavered a moment as he lost his courage to tell his lady...his princess. However, the blond wouldn't let the butterflies in his stomach stop him from letting Marinette know. Today was his day, today was _the_ day to tell her.

Adrien leaned in ever so slightly more and whispered into her ear, "I love you," and just as carefully, stood up straight again to look at Marinette. He waited for a response from her. Adrien knew he wouldn't get a response, but he waited anyway for her anyway.

A tear, a single tear, slipped out of the corner of his emerald eye and rolled slowly down his cheek. Adrien bowed his head, trying his hardest not to break out in sobs, for the last thing he wanted was to cause a scene. Marinette wouldn't want him to cause a scene.

The blond stifled his crying and turned to walk away, practically choking on air. Adrien walked away from Marinette without looking back. Yes, she looked beautiful and yes, he loved her, but he didn't look back.

Adrien couldn't look back at Marinette's casket.

* * *

 **Well, that was a twist and I'm crying now. Why do I do this? I don't know... Feel free to mail me your hearts, preferably shattered to a million pieces like mine :'(**

 **Should I continue this? Honestly, I wasn't planning on it, but I might make this one-shot into a two or three-shot :3**

 **Anyhoo, leave a review about what you thought of my first angst fanfic. Toodles! :D**


	2. Chapter 2: Adrien's Rose

I'm only making this a three-shot because fandommaniac22 left a review of this amazing idea that I loved and I actually had that same idea and was going to use it for a completely different fanfic, but hey, why not do it here? fandommaniac22, you are a beautiful person...thank you for this idea, you deserve a shout-out, this is your shout-out. Enjoy the next part! :3

* * *

 **Adrien's Rose**

* * *

It had been a week since Marinette's wake, but Adrien couldn't bear to attend the lowering of her casket into the ground. Instead, for the past week, the blond had kept to himself, isolated in his room. Even his father had personally come to his door to coax him out, which was a rarity. Gabriel must have been truly worried since he set out to talk to his son himself instead of having Nathalie deliver the message as per usual.

Adrien hadn't been to school since the funeral as well. He couldn't understand how anyone could after the sepulchral events that occurred just a week and half ago. The one time he _didn't_ jump in front of his lady in the face of danger. The blond didn't blame Tom; he couldn't assign blame to him because he was under Hawkmoth's influence.

 _Hawkmoth_.

That bastard would pay for what he took from Adrien and he would regret ever touching Marinette's earrings, let alone taking them. Adrien knew his princess would want him to fight for her, to protect his miraculous and identity. He would do so much more than die for Marinette…he would live through a thousand hells if it meant protecting his lady, his princess, his Marinette.

Adrien rubbed his eyes and lazily rolled out of bed as he sleepily made his way to his bathroom. The blond boy staring back at him in the mirror looked as if he _had_ gone through hell—what with his dark circles that pressed up against his bloodshot eyes that were pink from countless sobs. His hair was sticking out in every which way and hadn't been washed since the wake when he gave his rose to Marinette. In fact, Adrien was still dressed in the black suit pants and white button-down shirt. They were far past wrinkled and worn; his clothes smelled of depression and pain.

Adrien had been so captivated by his reflection that he hadn't notice the blur of black that hovered by his side. Plagg, for the most part, had left him alone to do whatever Adrien wanted for the past week. For once, he didn't push the blond to do anything out of his comfort zone…just let him grieve. But the cat-like kwami knew when enough was enough and couldn't let his chosen's somber feelings dwell on any longer.

"Hey…kid," Plagg spoke gently, "I just wanted to say-"

"There's camembert in the kitchen," Adrien interrupted bitterly.

"No, kid, I'm trying to say you should…I don't know…shower off and put on some clean clothes…maybe go to school?" the black cat creature suggested, "I mean you _are_ the weird one who loves going to school."

"I'll pass," the blond deadpanned and sighed before shuffling out of the bathroom and to his desk which was littered with crumpled papers.

He picked up a notebook and pen before slowly making his way to his sterile, white couch. Adrien plopped himself down and propped his feet up next to the copious uneaten meals delivered to his door.

"Adrien, kid, come on," Plagg wheedled calmly, "It's been a week of this repetitive cycle: get up, don't eat, cry, plot revenge against Hawkmoth, pretend to sleep, cry some more, and do it all again."

"So?" Adrien mumbled as he began to sketch a rose in the corner of his paper, trying to distract himself from his sorrow feelings. He felt like an empty shell, and only Marinette could fill him with the strength to truly live again. It appeared Adrien was destined to live through life as an empty shell from now on.

"I didn't want to say this, but…" the kwami muttered under his breath before speaking up, "Would Marinette want you to sulk around your room all day coming up with revenge vendettas for Hawkmoth? What justice are you bringing her by staying cooped up in this dump all the time?"

"I…" the blond stammered, "Okay."

* * *

It felt unnatural to be freshened up and in clean clothes. Adrien couldn't remember the last time he didn't smell and or look like misery and heartache. But as he roamed the halls of his high school to find his class, the blond heard whispers of his sudden reappearance in public. He was sure he caught wind of Marinette's name being dropped by several of his peers.

That's all people talked about: Marinette's death and Ladybug's disappearance. If only everyone else knew why Ladybug had gone missing. Granted, there hadn't been any akumatized victims since... _it_...happened, but there was still talk of Ladybug's failure to show up in the public eye, unlike Chat Noir that one time. The night of the wake when Adrien just needed to escape reality and pretend he was bounding across rooftops with his lady by his side.

Adrien wanted so badly for people to end their gossip of his lady by announcing to the whole of Paris that Marinette was their savior. But, he knew she wouldn't want anyone to know. Tom and Sabine were going through enough heartache as it was...to add on that their daughter was a crime-fighting superhero would be too much to take in. Maybe he would tell them, but he'd probably hold off until the time felt right.

As Adrien rounded the corner and entered his literature classroom, all eyes focused on him and silence rang throughout the room. It was deafening how quiet everyone grew at his presence. Shrugging off the class' reaction to his appearance, Adrien sulked over to his seat and sat down without a word.

Class went on as it usually would. Some students tried to talk to him, but he ignored anyone who spoke to him. The blond was grateful that Miss Bustier hadn't reached out to him all throughout first period. At least someone understood how he felt. Instead of paying attention to the lesson—because how could he—Adrien thought of Marinette.

He imagined her sitting behind him, the way she always did. Her bluebell eyes that shimmered and twinkled and put the stars in the night sky to shame. Her smile that could light up any room and her laugh that filled his heart and soul with a sense of belonging.

Adrien's mind raced with memories of Marinette, memories of Ladybug, and fantasies of the two of them that would never happen. He imagined laying on the summer grass in the park with his princess by his side and staring up at the clouds. One cloud in particular was shaped just like-

 _My rose._

Adrien's emerald orbs widened as he stared in disbelief at the steps to his right. There, on the first step, was the rose with the petals that faded from a blush pink to a blood red. He blinked once at the flower that laid on the stairs before he shook his head free from the conjured image of the rose he gave Marinette. However, when the blond looked at the step again, the rose was gone. There was no trace of the flower anywhere…like it was never there to begin with.

He let his thoughts wander back to his princess as he allowed his viridescent eyes to trail around the room and to the doorway. Adrien had a double-take when he saw the pink and red rose laying limp by the door jam.

Adrien leaned forward slightly to get a better look at the rose he gave Marinette, but as soon as he did so, it wasn't there. Once again, immediately after he took his eyes off of the flower, it would disappear.

But then, the blond spotted the rose down the hall. He just barely made out the shape of the flower as well as the hue of its petals and stem from his seat in the classroom. Adrien had to have been going crazy or something of the sort. He figured it was his lack of sleep coupled with his unending grievance for Marinette that flooded his brain and heart.

However, this was the flower he gave her—the rose he placed in her cold, lifeless hands. That rose symbolized his undying love for his princess…his lady…his everything. Adrien was going to follow that flower, no matter how crazy others thought him to be.

Adrien leapt from his seat and bolted out the door, disregarding the calls from his classmates and teachers as he booked it down the hall. Plagg wasn't even given time to properly react, and there was no way of getting to his chosen without being seen, so he was forced to remain hidden in Adrien's book bag.

Much to the blond's disappointment, by the time he reached the spot where he saw his rose resting, there was nothing more than tile in its place. He should have known there wouldn't be a rose there waiting for him…he was delirious and still finding ways to cope with his grief. Yes, that was it, Adrien was simply seeing things because he wasn't in his right state of mind. But, if that were so, why hadn't he begun to see the rose before now? Why not a week ago when he first gave it to Marinette?

Adrien turned on his heal slowly with the intention of heading back to class, but something caught his eye. Something a brilliant shade of red caught his eye. Something red and decorated with black spots caught his eye. In Adrien's peripheral vision, he snatched a glimpse of a blur of red and black polka dots turn a corner. He didn't care at this point if he was going off of a daydream or an illusion, Adrien longed to follow that spark of hope…that red and black-spotted spark of hope.

The blond dropped all thoughts except one as he raced after that last shred of hope. Adrien turned the corner sharply with one though continuously on a loop in his mind. _Please be my lady. Please, I have to see my princess. Please, God, let it be my-_

"M-Marinette?" Adrien weakly voiced as he stood before the last spark of hope.

She was just as beautiful as a week ago. She was a pure vision of loveliness in her red dress with black spots scattered across her skirt. Her dark locks were down in soft curls that barely brushed against her shoulders and bangs swept just above her big, bluebell eyes. Oh, those bluebell eyes that poured into Adrien's very soul. And her smile? Her smile lit up the empty hallway with love and a glowing warmth. But in between in frail fingers, her dainty and delicate fingers, she grasped the pink and red rose. She clutched onto Adrien's rose like it was worth the world's weight in gold.

Adrien staggered back a few steps and sucked in a deep breath as he took in her sight.

"Hello, Adrien," the bluenette smiled sweetly.

* * *

 **Well, I wonder what will happen next? Just kidding, I know what's gonna happen ;) but you lovelies don't (unless you're _really_ good at predicting the future *plays 'That's So Raven' theme song*) Anyway, please leave a review on what you think, I love to read what you beautiful people have to say!**

 **Toodles! :D**


	3. Chapter 3: Marinette's Rose

Thank you so much for your positive feedback! Well, get your tissues and ice cream, kids, and enjoy the last part of "A Rose for Marinette"! :3

* * *

 **Marinette's Rose**

* * *

"H-How…you were…I saw…M-Marinette?" Adrien stammered as he stared in awe at his princess, "I-Is…is it really you?"

He didn't get an answer from her, it looked as if she were struggling to say so. Instead, Marinette finally nodded and offered a small smile. Adrien then noticed his rose that he gave her clamped between her slim fingers… _her_ rose that she held onto in her casket.

Adrien didn't know what he was feeling, but he felt overwhelmed with the weight of everything that just unfolded before him. The only thing he wanted was to hold her, to kiss her, to love her…to do all the things he didn't before because he waited too long to tell her. He practically ran to her. He ran to his spark of hope, now his wildfire of hope because Marinette was here.

The blond hesitated a moment before he reached out to touch her bare arm. He first laid one finger, then two, then his whole hand, and he gently gripped onto her arm. Adrien gave her porcelain arm a soft squeeze before he met her eyes. Her beautiful, bluebell eyes that sparkled with love and light.

"M-Marinette…you're…really here. You're really here!" Adrien cheered as he embraced Marinette in a tight hug. He lifted her from the ground, spinning her around in his arms, He felt just as weightless as she must. Adrien didn't care about anything else in the world because Marinette was alive and well and with him.

Adrien paused. His whole world paused as he noticed something. He noticed something that he noticed when he gave her the rose. Adrien slowly put Marinette down, also taking note of her face…her face that didn't bear its cheery smile.

"Marinette…you're freezing," the blond whispered, "And…I…I'm getting pretty cold, too."

The bluenette said nothing, but her eyes screamed a million words. She glanced at her feet and folded her arms, slightly crushing the rose. But, none of the flower's petals fell to the ground. The flower appeared unscathed by Marinette's action.

"You kept moving the rose…" he stated suspiciously. Again, no answer from Marinette, but she only bowed her head, causing her softly curled locks to fall over her shoulders. "Princess…M'Lady… _Marinette_ …wh-why are you s-still wearing th-that dress?" Adrien choked as he held back his tears.

The blue-haired girl hesitated a moment before she picked her head up and stared at Adrien with pleading eyes. He didn't like how her beautiful bluebell eyes contorted with hurt. "Because…this is…this is how you last remembered me."

Adrien pretty much collapsed to the floor. He fell to his knees and stared as his tears trickled down his cheeks and flooded the tiles. He refused to look up at his princess, he knew it was just another trick of the mind because he was still grieving. He knew it was just—his shoulder felt cold and he felt goosebumps run down his arm. He didn't feel any pressure on his shoulder and arm, just chill and goosebumps.

He lifted his peridot eyes to look up at Marinette and saw her kneeling down in front of him. Her hand was on his shoulder. Marinette's cold hand was on his shoulder…but he only felt cold.

"Adrien-"

"No! You're not real! You're not really here!" the blond cried as he buried his tear-stained face in his hands.

"Adrien," Marinette said more sternly this time, ending Adrien's cries, but then her voice grew soft again, "Adrien, I'm no longer on this earth. I'm not here on the physical plane with you. How can I explain this…okay. When someone… _dies_ …their body dies, but their soul lives eternally. Their spirit can either go to the light and cross over or stay here on the physical plane as a ghost. Usually ghosts either don't know they're dead, don't want to leave, or don't know how to. Does that make sense?"

Adrien raised his head to look at Marinette, his expression laced with worry, "Are you…"

"I crossed over, I'm just visiting you because I'm worried about you," Marinette smiled.

"Well…I need to tell you something, then. I mean for real. Marinette, I-" Adrien was suddenly cut off by the bluenette's giggles.

"I know, I heard you the first time. And…me too, Adrien. I love you, too," Marinette remarked, "But, Adrien…I've been watching over you for the past week and…"

"I know. I shouldn't have acted like that," Adrien finished as he bowed his head again in shame.

"Not just that. People need closure…my parents, Alya, everyone," the bluenette softly spoke, "Will you tell them about me? That I was Ladybug?"

"You still are Ladybug," Adrien countered as he wiped the fresh tears leaking from his emerald orbs, "But, you want everyone to know?"

Marinette nodded, causing her curls to bounce joyously. "You don't have to tell them you're Chat Noir, but promise me you'll make the announcement that I was- _am_ Ladybug?" she giggled before retracting her hand from Adrien's shoulder and crossed her arms matter-of-factly, "And while you're at it…kick Hawkmoth's butt for me."

A devious smirk played at Adrien's lips as he brought one hand to his heart and raised the other in the air, "I _purr-_ omise."

"There's my kitty," Marinette smiled brightly before she pecked a kiss on his cheek, causing his heart to melt. It was cold, but it was so warm at the same time.

"Adrien! Adrien!" a voice called out from around the corner of the hallway, "Adrien, please come back to class. I know this past week has been difficult for you…it's been hard on all of us, but please come back."

Adrien looked up at Miss Bustier, who wore a frantic expression on her face. She appeared to have been running all around the school to find him. He wiped his tears away one last time before pushing up off the floor and standing to his feet.

"Sorry, Miss, I was just talking to-" Adrien whipped his head around to look at the bluenette, but there was nobody there, "…Marinette?"

"Come on, Adrien, I think it's best you return to class now," the red-headed teacher gently said as she turned on her heel and made her way back to the literature room. She beckoned Adrien to follow, and he did.

He didn't follow right away, though, because something caught his eye. Something pink that faded into red caught his eye. There, on cool tile surface where Marinette stood, was the rose he gave to her. Marinette's rose.

Adrien didn't believe what his emerald eyes saw, but he knelt down and delicately picked up the lively flower. He rubbed the stem between his thumb and forefinger, then caressed the rose as if it were a child. The blond smiled as he walked away from the hallway. He walked away and didn't look back. Yes, he saw his lady, and yes, she was just as beautiful as the day he first saw her, but he didn't look back.

Adrien didn't have to look back to know Marinette was there, smiling back at him.

* * *

 **Sorry not sorry. Angst with a sort of happy ending...I wouldn't call it a _miraculous_ ending, but still. Thank you again to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed! You are all beautiful people! **

**Toodles! :D**


	4. Epilogue: A Closure for Paris

So...I kinda fell off the face of the earth, well, the fanfic earth. I was surprised with a trip after school ended, a trip that limits my internet - technically I have no internet... I know I promised I would be cranking out a bunch of chapters for my other stories, but with my lack of a functioning computer and internet, I won't be able to post new chapters or stories like I wanted for at least another week. I was granted one hour of internet (thank goodness) for today and I used it wisely: to write and post this little epilogue. Enjoy! :3

* * *

 **A Closure for Paris**

* * *

"Hello, Paris! Nadja Chamack, here, live with the son of Paris' favorite fashion designer, Adrien Agreste. Now, Mr. Agreste told me he has something to share with us, today," Nadja leaned forward and gestured for Adrien to speak.

He hesitated a moment, taking the time to look around the set. It was a typical news talk show setup with two chairs either side a stand with a vase of fresh flowers. There were several cameras pointed in his general direction, but the blond payed no attention to the lenses that the whole of Paris was tuning in through. Adrien knew there had to be at least three fourths of the city watching him live on television...even his father might see him on the news. He _may_ have forgotten to let the famous designer know he would be making an appearance with the reporter.

"Mr. Agreste is my father. Please, call me Adrien," the blond finally collected himself and made eye contact with the woman. He dared to allow a warm smile to brush against his lips as Nadja continued.

"Well, _Adrien_ , why did you request this last minute interview? I'll bet you have something pretty big to share with Paris," the woman's golden eyes flickered with life and her growing curiosity.

"I...um..." Adrien's smile faltered, the corners of his lips dropping _down_ into a thin line of sorrow. His emerald eyes glazed over with tears that begged to fall and roll down his cheeks. The blond told himself he wouldn't cry on television...he wouldn't let all of Paris see his weaker self and break down into tears.

"Take your time, Adrien," the pink-haired woman wheedled.

Adrien ran a shaky hand through his somewhat disheveled locks and swallowed a hard lump that resided in his throat. He firmly gripped the arms of the white chair he sat in, opposite of Nadja.

"You, um...I'm sure you know of my friend's recent passing?" Adrien gulped whilst the reporter nodded and smiled sadly, "Well...for anyone who doesn't know, her name was, or rather, _is_ Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She wa- _is_ an amazing girl, one of my closest friends, and she's beautiful, too...really beautiful...Well, it's my fault that she's gone...because I couldn't protect her. Most people blame her father, but it was really Hawkmoth's doing. Also, my doing for not saving her in time. She...she..."

Adrien felt his eyes and throat sting as the dam broke, letting the tears flow freely down his sun-kissed face. His peridot eyes became red and swollen with heartache as he tried to finish his statement about the girl that he loved.

"It's okay if you can't-" Nadja was cut off by Adrien's weak and broken voice.

"No, no, I'm okay," he sniffed and wiped away his salty tears, "Marinette, she...she died in my arms. Not many people know that I was with her in her last moments...actually, I don't think anybody knows. She told me that nobody should feel guilty or upset about her death, and that she still...still loves everyone who was, _is_ , close to her."

Adrien could feel fresh tears that had yet to fall gather and gloss over his vivid green eyes. He sniffed once more, looked to his feet, let out a trembling sigh, and lifted his crying eyes to glance at the woman before him. He positioned himself to look at the main camera instead. Adrien now only spoke to the camera, to his city.

"I've heard most people talking about Ladybug's failure to show up in public alongside Cat Noir, and I've heard rumors as to why that is...But, Ladybug won't be seen again. She's...Ladybug's gone and won't be coming back," the blond slowly spoke as he stared into the news camera. He eyes twitched with pain and his lower lip quivered as he thought through what he would say next.

"And...how do you know this information about Ladybug, Adrien?" the gold-eyed woman asked inquisitively.

"You already know why, _everyone_ already knows why. Nobody realizes it, but you all know why Ladybug won't be coming back...she can't come back...even if she wanted to," Adrien answered, his gaze never straying from the camera lens, "After all, you can't come back from death..."

"Adrien, are you saying that Ladybug is... _deceased_?" Nadja questioned, bewilderment laced in her voice and facial expression.

"Ladybug's death isn't news...we all knew of her passing. Marinette died a hero. Marinette, _my_ Marinette died saving this city from Hawkmoth," Adrien said with a touch of venom in his voice as he spoke the villain's name. A collective gasp sounded from the crowd of staff members working on and off set of the studio with the realization that Ladybug was but a sixteen year old girl who had died protecting Paris.

"You mean-" the reporter's confusion was interrupted once more by Adrien.

"Yes, Marinette Dupin-Cheng was, _is_ , Ladybug. She didn't want to tell anyone about her double life because she feared it would put others in danger. But, Paris needs to know who their hero was, _is._ Paris needs to know who my hero is, the beautiful, smart, kind, funny, and overall amazing girl behind the mask."

It was so incredibly silent in the news studio that a pin could be dropped a block away and still be heard. In fact, it felt as if the entire city became unnaturally quiet. However, the silence was suddenly broken when a multitude of phones began ringing, Adrien assumed it was a combination of the studio's and the staff's phones going off...presumably from the announcement the blond just made to the world.

A panicked look overtook the pink-haired reporter's face as she moved her mouth to speak up, but no words left her lips. Finally, Nadja found her voice as she steadied herself in her chair, frantically looking between Adrien and the camera closest to her. The news of her daughter, Manon's, savior being departed must have struck her hard.

"Um...if you don't mind my asking, Adrien...why tell the world who Ladybug was?" the woman egged on.

" _Is_ ," Adrien corrected. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath before calmly facing the camera again. The blond opened his emerald eyes slowly and, somewhat trembling, spoke up again, "And, it's because..."

Adrien reached his shaking hand into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out the lively red and pink rose. He felt the tears slip out of the corners of his eyes and roll down his face, but the blond didn't care. Adrien clutched the flower to his heart and smiled down at the gradient petals, imagining his lady, his princess, his Marinette with him.

"...that's what my lady asked of me."

* * *

 **Well, that officially concludes this angsty fanfic. Thank you again so much for enjoying and supporting this story, I greatly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart!**

 **Hopefully in about a week or so I'll have additional chapters posted to my other two stories and have a few of my new ones up as well.**

 **Toodles! :D**


End file.
